Description: Add Camping to your Young Rafters Adventure – Come in the night before your trip and spend the night camping, have a great BBQ Dinner, and raft the next day. A great way to introduce your youngster to camping and white water rafting on the American river.

Great Adventure for the Younger Rafters – Spend a half day rafting the “Middle” section of the South Fork American River and one night camping at our private camp area right on the banks of the South Fork American river, with your youngsters. Bouncy, fun, class 1 and 2 rapids. Time to swim and enjoy the river. Our Young Rafters Adventures are for families with kids that are too young for our regular white water rafting trips. Easy and fun rapids that will give your younger rafters a taste of whitewater rafting on the American river.

Itinerary: Our trip begins with camping the night before your river rafting adventure. You can come in at 5:30 PM, check in with camp host, and set up your camp for the evening. Dinner begins with hor’dourves at about 6:00PM with dinner served at 6:30 PM.

The next morning our camp cook is up early to prepare and serve you our breakfast, with special pancakes just for the kids (and the kid in all of us). After breakfast it’s time to head to the river for our ½ day of exciting bouncy rapids.

We begin our trip at Coloma State Historic Park, where gold was first discovered, and finish 5 miles downstream at our South Fork Basecamp. For families with younger kids, ages 5 and up, this is a great way to introduce them to rafting.

This river rafting trip has bouncy, fun, and exciting class 1 and 2 rapids for the younger ones. There is time to relax, hop out of the raft for a quick swim in the river, pick blackberries, and soak up the awesome scenery of the South Fork of the American river. A perfect amount of time for everyone to have a great time on the river.

At the end of the day, lunch along with cold drinks will be waiting for you at our South Fork Basecamp where your adventure ends. Your guide(s) will be there to thank you for coming and help you get your little ones back into some dry clothes for the trip home.

Don’t see what you’re looking for?

We’ll help you check availability and find the perfect trip!

CLASS I- II
EASY

Fun for families with children as young as 4. Waves are generally quite small; passages clear of any major obstacles.

CLASS II-III
INTERMEDIATE

Great for beginners and Intermediate rafters. All ages groups 7 and up. Rapids are longer, bigger, and more exciting but not difficult. Big runnable waves, swift current with obstacles easy to miss.

CLASS III-IV
INTERMEDIATE +

Best for adventurous beginners and intermediate rafters who have swimming ability and are 12 or older. Rapids are longer, and markedly more powerful. Rafters are needed to paddle through large waves and holes.

CLASS IV-IV+
ADVANCED RAFTERS

Or very athletic, adventurous first timers with swimming ability and 14 and over. Very long rapids; dangerous rocks and powerful waves and currents, precise and powerful maneuvering is required. Previous experience recommended.